Electric sign



May 3, 1927. 'l 1,626,899

F. E. J. WILDE ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Sept. 23, 1925 lll-*Selm Patented May3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rnaNcIs n. .nwinma ormianowmnna rmx, Naw Yonx, AssIeNon 'ro morceau:conrou'rroN, or Nnw Yoan, N-7 Y., a oonrona'rIoN or N'swyonx.

ELECTRIC sIGN.

l opnemen med septemberaa, i925. serial No. sneu.

This invention relates particularly tothe control mechanism by `w ichthe letters or other `characters are caused to traverse the field of a4so`called talking sign.

Special objects of the invention are to simplify and im rove the controlmechanism, to enable t e quick changin of the si characters'and Atoprovide. for t e operation of a large number of sign charactersv in acomparatively small and compaetly built machine. i l

Special novel features enabling the attainment of the foregoing andvother desirable objects include the handling of the sign characters-brpatterns in the forni ot a stack conveniently supported in a magazineand the traversing of such characters through the machine lby takingthem off one end of such stack and lthen after running them through thecontrol mechanism, returningthem to the. opposite end of the same stack.f f

The details of such construction and various other novel features of theinvention are set forth-in thefollowing specification.

The drawing accom anying and formin .part `lof this 'specificationillustrates ractical embodiments of the "invention, ut' as suchillustrationI is 'primarily for purposes of' disclosure, itis to beunderstood that l structural features may be modified without departurefrom the spirit and scope of the -invention as hereinafter defined andlbroadly claimed.

Figure 1 -is l aside elevation of; the machine with only part ofthe-control board illustrated and indicatin 'some ofthe patterns invariousstages o their travel.

. Figure 2'is an enlarged .broken vertical section illustrating v"the:operation of the switch controls by the ltraveling sign characters. Y

Figure 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view taken as on the p aneofline 3--3'of Figure 1, showing the lower portion ofthe magazine.

Figures 4 andv Aareblok-en sectionl' views l illustratingthe operationof the feed chains 5 Kform of chainhdrive.

Figurel' is a plan of oneof the individual .'fin withdrawing the'characters from the `Figure-(iis va broken 'of a 1^. claficjterplates.Figure 8 1s a cross sectional -detail show-'-` ing "the method 'ofholding the contact combs in lace.

The bo' y of the sign is not shown in the.

lamps and adapted to be engaged y sprin contact fingers 11 positionedalongside an `bendable longitudinally into contact with such posts.

The posts are shown spaced in rows in a supporting base 12 'ofinsulating material and the spring fingers are shown constructed in theform of .combs cut from 'sheet metal to provide in each'a row of springfingers s aced to cooperate with a row of the terminals and allconnected together by y governed by suitable' The switch controls conaback 'piece 13. These contact combs are indicated as removablysupported. in 'between the rows of termina by sheets of insulatingmaterial folded about the backs of the' same and roviding each aninsulating layer 14 at t e front of the comb and an insulating layer 15at the back of the same. This back portion is shown extendedsubstantially to the top lof the terminal posts at the rear so as-toprevent the spring" fingers from snapping backward into contacttherewith and the front strip 14 is of'less width so* as to vpermit thefingers to readily bend upwardly into contact with the termi-y nal postsin front of the' same..

The folded-strips of insulation form a1 .partial envelope about thespring combs and by their own'1resiliency, aldin'removably securing thekcombs -in position. -To

' prevent any accidental displacement of the combs they are shown formedfat their ends with angularly 'turned -extensions 16, Fig-- ure 8,having lugs l'pbent over the rails 18V forming'the sides of the frameand caught construction itA will bef seen theta-all the vbeneath thecleats 19 Secured byithe screws 20 over the topes-of suchvrails;'-wfYith this' that`one`.orany number ofthe eombs",may be pulledout and" new? 'ones'f substituted,

after removal of" holding cleats.

The terminal posts may consist simply' Tof."

as they wear, may be turned to present new l current carrying surfacesand may be readyily replaced when necessary.

The patterns for actuating the switch controls are illustrated as in theform of raised characters 23 of insulating material mounted upon'backingplates 24 of generally rectangular outline, also of insulating material.These plates travel up through a vertical guideway 25 in position tocause the raised characters thereon to bend the free ends ofcorrespondingly placed spring fingers into contact with theircooperatingterminal posts and thus energize the lamps of the sign in a manner toreproduce the outlines o such characters.

The travel of the patterns is eiected by interengagement between suchplates and a pair of continuously traveling chains 26 spaced as shown inFigure 3 substantially the width of the plates at a distance greaterthan the characters on the 'intermediate portions of the plates.

The engagement between the plates and chains may be effected in variousways. Thus in Figures 1 to 5 the plates may be provided with projectingpins 27 in their forward corners vadapted to enter the open links ofthes rocket chains. On the other hand, the chains may carry projecting lugsas shown at 28 in Figure 6 to engage behind the rearward edges of thecharacter plates.

To provide for the handling of a maximum number of the plates in themachine, said plates are shown as stacked in superposed relation in avertical 'magazine 29 mounted at the back'or` the vertical guide- Way 25and in -position over the lower horizontal ridges of the chains so thatsaid chains will automatically strip the plates-olf the bottom of thestack and carry them up through the vertical guideway. To provide,V

for this action the chains are shown as extending over guidef/rollers 30at the rear of the machine and through horizontal guide channelsSLbeneath the foot of the magazine and from such magazine upwardlythrough the curved guide channels 32 'to the foot ofthe verticalguideway. The edges'. of the horizontal guide channels31 form supportscarliying vthe weight of the stack, as shown igures 3 and 5,' so thatthe chains do not carry this weight 'and'. are only required'to stripthe lower plate from the bottom of the' stack? The foot of the vmagazinehas a1 pas- .v sageway 33` at the front of` the sangra, hi h guides'extend from enoughA forilrmsingle outgoing plate, in cated in Figurespassage :so 'as to may be remova le and replaceable as a unit or may bemade with one side opening to.

permit the insertion or removal of a complete stack of the plates. Inthe illustrationthe magazine' is opened at the rear by having rearwardcorner strips 34; mounted Von spring hinges 35 so that they can be swungback to open the magazine and permit removal and replacement of theplates in stack formation.

The plates taken from the bottom of the a stack and car-ried past .theswitch controls` are automatically returned to the head of the stack in-position for passage through the machine again by means consisting inthe illustration of a downwardly inclined guide made up of a pluralityof free turning rollers 36 extending from the top of the vertical guiderearwardly over the top of the magazine vand terminating in a closedguide 37 extending downwardly and doubling forwardly back to themagazine. A guide and stripper 38 at the upper end of the inclinedguideway 36 causes the plates as they leave the chains to dro faceupwardly on such inclined guide an the plates as they ride down thisinclined guide, pass through the reversing channel 37 and dro facedownwardly on top of the stack in position to be taken by the chains intheir order and be again passed through the machine.

The operation is thus continuous and uninterrupted, thc plates beingtaken by the chains one by one from the bottom of the stack, passedupwardly through thecontrol mechanism and, then returned o nto the topof the stack in position to pass through the machine again in the sameorder. -If desired, the returning plates may be deflected from the topof the stackvand carried away out of the machine. And while the machineis running new plates may be placed in the alteredwhile it is in actualoperation. To

assist in this substitutionor changing of the sign characters,lthecharacter plates or the characters themselves may have markings ontheir. rearward edges, as" shown at 38 `in Figure 3 which will beexposed when the plates are in' themagazine and thus enable the operatorto make any desired changes or substitutions 4and'to .accomplish thesame without vdisturbing the l ijoper sequence.

' The chains lmay be o the usual sprocket type and may be driven, forinstance, by an electric motor39 connected by reduction gearing 40withthe lower set of sprockets 41. From these lower sprockets the chainsare shown as' passing vertically to the upper Sprockets 42. The rolls orsprockets 30 guide the horizontal stretches of the chain lll() at therear and suitable idlers such as indicated at 43 may be provided tomaintain the chains in proper taut condition.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus of the character disclosed comprising a stack ofdisconnected sign pat terns, a bank of switch devices havingindividualized contact elements operable on engagement by said signpatterns to control an electric sign in accordance with the outlines ofsaid sign characters, a guideway for directing said sign patterns pastthe bank of switch devices in position to engage the contact elements ofthe switch devices which y are positioned in the path of travel of suchpatterns, means for confining a group of the sign patterns stackedvertically in flat relation one on top of the other and means forautomatically alistracting the sign patterns from one end of said` stackand traversing them through the guideway to selectively operate theswitch devices and for then returning said sign patterns to the oppositeend of the stack faced in the same direction in which they were removedfrom the stack.

2. Apparatus of the character disclosed comprising variously positionedswitch devices having individualized contact elements operable onengagement by traveling sign patterns to control an electric sign inaccordance with the outlines of said patterns,

sign patterns for actuating said switch de- I acters carried by andprojectin y p faces ot' said plates, vswitch devlc'es havingv vices,said'sign patterns being disconnected and free-for handlingindependently of each other, means for confining a group of said signpatterns stacked in orderly superposed fia't relation one on top of theother and means -or automatically abstract-ing said sign patterns fromthe bottom of said stack and for traversing the, same' past the switchdevices in position to engage the contact elements of the switch deviceswhich are positioned in the lpath of travel'oflthe variously outlinedsign patterns, said automatic means includings guide mechanism forreturning the abstracted patterns to the top' of the stack and. forreversing the returned patterns so that all patterns are arranged in thesame order in the stack.

3. Apparatus of the character'disclosedcomprising pattern plates, raisedsign charfrom the individualized `contact elements engageable inaccordance with 'their position by the sign.

patterns of different outlines and operable to control an electric signaccordingly, means for confining a 'group-ofthe pattern plates stacked-in'superposed relation and automatic means for withdrawing said platesfrom the bottom` of the stack andv for traversing the same past theswitch devices and then returning the plates to the top of thestack withthe raised characters thereon all faced in the same direction.

g to the stackedposition. 1

4. In apparatus of the character disclosed, loose pattern plates, raisedsign characters 4on said plates, a hopper for supporting said thecombination of loose pattern plates,-

raised sign characters carried by and 'projecting from the faces of saidplates, a hopper for holding a stack of said plates with the raisedcharacters faced downwardly, Y,

switch devices adapted for actuation by said raised characters and.automatic means for withdrawing the pattern plates from one end of thestack and for traversing the same past the switch devices and thenreturning the pattern plates face down to the opposite end of the stack.

6. In apparatus oflthe character disclosed, switch devicesl forvariously controlling an electric sign, sign patterns, means for holdingsaid patterns stackedain orderly .rela- 'tion and means for traversin"said sign characters individually from t eirfstacked position past. theswitch devices and. back to stacked position, including mechanism` forturning over the sign patterns to com-- pletely reverse the same at onepoint in their cycle of travel. n f

7 In apparatus of the character disclosed, switch devices for variouslycontrolling an electric sign, sign patterns, means 'forholding saidpatterns stacked in orderly relation and means for traversing said signcharacters individually from their stacked position past the switchdevices and back to 'stacked position, including mechanism for turningover the sign patterns before their return 8. In apparatus of thecharacter disclosed, sign patterns, a hopper forf loosely confining thesame in stacked relation, switch devices for variously controllin an.electric sign, automatic propellingl an guidng'means for traversing thepatterns-from the bottom of 'the stack past the'switeh devices'and backto the top of the stack, said means including a reversing guide at thetop of the -stack for turningovertlie sign characters as they rareVreturned to stacked relation.

9. In apparatus of thecharacter disclosed, sign patterns, fa hopper forfconfining a group of said patterns, channel guides at the foot ofsaid'hoppcr, chains running in said uides across the bottom ofsaidhopperfand v paving disenga fable .connection with the patterns forwit drawing the same individtric sign, guide means for directin uallyfrom the bottom of the hopper, switch devices for variously controllingan electhe patterns past ,said switch devices, said chains operating inconjunction with said guides to -traverse the patterns in operativerelation identifying indicia exposed, switch devices for variouslycontrolling-an electric sign and automatic means for traversing theidentiied patterns from the hopper past the switch devices.

11. In apparatus of the character disclosed,I the combination ofterminal posts ar# ranged in spaced relation, `contact caps removablyengaged over the same, iinovable contacts for engagement withsaid capsand sign mechanism for. automatically actuating said movable contacts.

12.111` `apparatus of Athe;.character disclosed, an ii'night magazinesign characters loosely stacked m su erptsedrelationi\n` said magazine,sprocket c ains traversing the-bottom of the magazine, said chains andcharacters having mteren a portions whereb said characters willdli'stracted by said c ains 'one by one from the bottom of themagazine, an upright guide for the-characters enga ed with the chainsand sign-control switc devices ositioned o posite said ide for actuationy the sign characters in t eirstravel in said guide.'ff-g e v13. Inapparatus, ot the character' disclosed, sign characters, a verticalmagazine l and passed through the sign control switch devices positionedad-V jacent the guide to be actuated by'said charfor supporting a stackof the same, la guide for said characters,a chain traversing said guideand extending from onev vside to the other past one end of the magazine,said chain and characters having interenga 'gf the c ainA parts wherebyin the travel of across 'the end ofthe magazine said characters will bewithdrawn from the magazine acters and means for automatically returningthe characters from said guide to the op:

posite end of the magazine.

` 14. In apparatus othe character disclosed, sign characters, a magazinefor supporting a stack of the saine, a guide for said characters, chaintraversing said guide and one end of the magazine, said chain andcharacters having interengaging parts whereby said characters will bewithdrawn from the ma zine and passed throu gh the guide by sai chain,

sign control switch devices positioned adjacent the guide to be actuatedby E said ghara'cters and :means for yautomatically returningthecharacters from said guide to the opposite end of the magazine,including guide by said chain,

linto engagement therewit ,raised si a guideway for receiving thecharacters from the guide and a reversing chute for 'turning thecharacters over as they enter the magazine.

15. In apparatus of one character disclosed, sign characters, a magazinefor a vertical stack of saidcharacters, channels at the foot of saidmagazine, chains traveling in said channels, said chains and charactershaving inte'rengaging `means enabling the chains to withdraw thelowermost characters from the magazine and sign control switch devicesactuated by the characters propelled by said chains.

- 16. In apparatus of the character disclosed, sign characters y havingindications on the edges of the saine, a magazine for supporting saidcharacters with the edges exposed to show said indications, means forautomatically withdrawing said characters from saidmagazine and signcontrol switch devices actuated by said characters in the automatictravel of the same.

17. In apparatus of the character disclosed, sign characters, a magazinefor a vertical stack ot said characters, open channels extending beneaththe foot of said magazine for supporting the stack of characters, chainstraveling in said channels, said chains and characters havinginterengaging means for effecting the automatic withdrawl of the bottomcharacters in the stack and signal contrgl switch devices disposed inthe path of tlavel of the characters propelled by the the c ains.

18; In ap aratus of the character disl -upright stretches traversingsaid guideway and horizontal stretches extending rearwardly from thefoot of the same, a magazine over the horizontal stretches of saidchains, sign characters supported in said magazine in position kto beengaged by said horizontal stretches of the chains, a guideway inclineddownwardly from the upper portion of the first guideway to the upper endof the ma azine and sign conlirst guideway ,for actuation by the `signcharacters.4

20. In combination, sign controls comrrising terminals and'sprincontacts ben able acters for bending selected ones of said bendtrolswitch devices positioned in front ofthe char- 1,626,899 i l U i ablecontacts, saidsig'n characters being disconnected from each other, amagazine' for said loose sign characters and means for automaticallycirculating said characters from vsaid magazine past the bendablecontacts and back into said magazine.

21. In apparatus of the character disclosed, insulated terminal posts,contact caps removably engaged over the same, movable contacts forengagement with said caps and sian mechanism for automatically-actuatingl insulating base,l rows of terminal posts car- 4ried by said base,Contact combs havingspring fingers for engagement with the posts andfolded 'strips of insulation engaged over the back portions of saidcombs and held bev vtween the rows vof terminal posts, said combs havingend lugs, supporting rails over` which said end lugs are turned andcleats detachably engaged over said end lugs for.

releasably holding all the combsl in position.

24. In combination, an g insulating base, terminal posts mounted on saidbase, spring contacts for engagement with said posts having angular-lyturned end lugs and fastening cleats removably engaged with said endlugs for simultaneously releasably securing all of said contacts inposition.

25. In apparatus 'of the character disclosed, sign control switchdevices, loose sign patterns for variably actuating the same, a verticalmagazine positioned to the rear vof said sign controls for confining agroup of the sign patterns stacked in vertical relation, a propellingchain extending from the magachain havin a substantially .horizontalreach exten ing across the foot of the `magazine and interlockingportions on said chain and sign patterns engageable in the horizontaltravel of the chain past the foot of the magazine,'whereby said patternswill p beextracted one by one'froin the bottom of the magazinev and becarried into actuating engagement with the sign controls.

I-n witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day ofSeptember, 1925.

FRANCIS E. J. wiLD'E.

zine forwardly past the sign controls, said

